Ministers are being urged to back a new bypass before 4,000 new homes are built alongside one of Norfolk's most congested roads.

Norfolk County Council is about to submit its business case for the £84m West Winch Housing Access Road, which will link the A10 with the A47.

It will bypass both the gridlocked village, to the south of King's Lynn and the nearby Hardwick Roundabout.

READ MORE: Protestors call for bypass to be built before new homes

READ MORE: Fears new homes at West Winch will be 'shoehorned through'

Eastern Daily Press: Alexandra Kemp (left) with villager Trish Field beside the A10 at West WinchAlexandra Kemp (left) with villager Trish Field beside the A10 at West Winch (Image: Chris Bishop)

Alexandra Kemp, councillor for Clenchwarton and King's Lynn South, said: "I urge the government to guarantee the funding of the West Winch Housing Access Road as soon as possible.

"The current A10 in West Winch is heavily congested and the road will take the HGV's and heavy through traffic out of the village.

"This is essential to allow the current A10 to be traffic-calmed, creating a more sustainable environment for walking and cycling, for safe new crossings, and improvements from the existing levels of congestion, delays and unreliable journey times."

Graham Plant, the council's cabinet member for highways, said the road would support both the planned housing and also solve long-standing traffic issues.

Improvements, including weight limits and new crossings, are also planned for the A10.

A report to the council's cabinet, which meets on Monday, September 4, says the business case is key to unlocking government funding for the project.

Eastern Daily Press: A graphic showing the proposed development at West Winch and the new bypass - referred to as the WWHAR Access Road in redA graphic showing the proposed development at West Winch and the new bypass - referred to as the WWHAR Access Road in red (Image: West Norfolk council)

Members are being asked to approve submitting it to the Department for Transport. 

Inflation has increased the estimated cost of the new road from £64.73m to 84.47m.

The report says the majority of funding would come from central government with the remainder being paid for by developers.

Eastern Daily Press: Traffic on the busy A10Traffic on the busy A10 (Image: Matthew Usher)

The county council is due to submit a planning application for the road before the end of the year.

The current project timeline would see construction of the road begin in 2025, taking around two years to complete.